After a nice, relaxing lunch break, race 3 got underway just before two o'clock. Uncle Al and Nick had been lounging about 1/2 km. west of the start line, and Al got lucky in that he turned back towards the start area just in time. About a minute later the sequence started and Al basically sailed at racing speed and made it to the favoured pin end of the line (second from right above) just in time for the gun. Not so lucky was Nick who ended up two minutes late for the start!! Note Heider (6) who is not in good shape off this start, but whose speed and pointing were great and enabled him to escape from this predicament.

Also getting some bad luck was Paul Laderoute (port tack, beige hull, centre) who was lined up for a great pin end start when the wind knocked starboard tack and left Paul unable to lay the pin end - note the flat water where Paul has just finished gybing away.

... is in the lead - although a very narrow one over Al and Frank (red spi). Note how well Paul Laderoute (7380) has recovered into a close 3rd place. And it was a fine start and first beat for Richard Johnson with Jim Higgins (4th) and Tony Krauss with Mary Abel (r) who rounded 6th.

The decisive move in the race was Uncle Al's early gybe to port into clear air and better pressure. After several minutes on port, Al gybed back to starboard well to leeward and some distance ahead of Messrs Funck and Laderoute who held right til the cows came home.

Doug and Françoise looking good as they approach the windward mark. Meanwhile, Al and Frank are covering Heider and Tom like the proverbial blanket, knowing that their hopes of defending their North American title are completely dashed if the latter beat them a third straight time!

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